Flat Iron, Denmark Street

I’m sad to admit that i’m one of those people who’s iPhone is pretty much an extension of their body… it’s awful, but I don’t remember life before smart phones. How did I survive? How did I get through a day without being able to google at a moment’s notice? How did I manage tube journeys without a plethora of time wasting games at my finger tips? And how did I manage to organise my social life without WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter at my constant disposal? It is a mystery! Luckily my dependance on my phone proved very handy over the weekend just gone, because as soon as an email blast from the lovely guys at Flat Iron came through offering me the chance to join their soft launch and eat FOR FREE at their brand new restaurant on Denmark Street around the corner from Tottenham Court Road, I was able to read it and reply with a request for a table instantly, and it was my hot of the mark response (one of over two thousand within the first hour!) which landed me with a table! Yay for technology!

And so on Sunday evening, after my hangover from my Saturday night out had finally worn away (hurray for midday naps and Gossip Girl Netflix binging) myself and Beckie ventured out for our free steak (the other two girls unfortunately had succumbed to their hangovers and couldn’t actually face leaving the flat #Tragic).

Flat Iron’s new home can be found at number 9, Denmark Street in a building which is over 300yrs old, and has previously been everything from a weavers workshop to a recording studio Bowie performed in; it has already had quite an exciting life, and the next chapter looks to be pretty exciting too! The tables are marble topped, the seating is three legged stools (a bit like a cow milking stool… maybe they were looking to create a cow theme…?) and the walls have indoor brick which I am a complete sucker for. There’s nothing pretentious about the decor; simplicity is the theme in this place, and the menu reflects this.

Much like in their other location on Beak Street in Soho, the main feature of the menu is their flat iron steak served with their house leaf salad costing only £10. The beef itself comes from their very own herd of cows based up in Yorkshire who are lovingly bread, fed on an interesting diet of sugar beet and beer with extended finishing periods, and the quality is obvious in the taste. While our lovely waitress recommended our steaks be cooked medium/rare, we opted to have ours cooked rare, and it practically melted in the mouth! It comes pre sliced, but you can’t help but want to use the adorable miniature cleavers provided!

Because our food was complementary (these guys really are lovely!) we went a bit crazy with our side dishes, and i’m so glad we did. We ordered a bowl of dripping cooked chips each, as well as a bowl of market greens (including fresh peas shelled by the team) and some creamed spinach. I don’t know about you, but I think vegetables are bloody fantastic, and as much as I find myself craving a decent slab of meat, I also find myself craving a decent portion of vegetables (especially when hungover – take that greasy fry-up!) and these did not disappoint. The market greens were crunchy, obviously fresh, and the peas popped with sweetness, while the creamed spinach was… well, creamy, and absolutely delicious. I probably could have eaten a whole portion to myself, but for some reason, Beckie and I had elected to share… I don’t know what had come over us!

In addition to these sides, we also treated ourselves to a pot of sauces designed to complement the meat, naturally. I couldn’t resist a traditional pot of peppercorn sauce, which was void of massive pepper corns (good – because they hurt to bite down on) but not void of the great peppery flavour. The other sauce we both went for was Fred’s Sauce, described to us to be like a Bloody Mary without the vodka. Fantastic – that’s exactly what I want to go with my steak. It was spicy but with a chunky texture, much like a salsa, and the tomato sauce had a mild sweet kick in it too. It goes bloody well with the crispy dripping cooked chips too.

Drinks wise their cocktail menu is well priced and very exciting. Unfortunately while my hangover was no longer lingering, i’m afraid the desire to consume any more alcohol just wasn’t there, so I enjoyed a Fentiman’s rose lemonade instead, and sadly the desert menu wasn’t quite ready to be sampled which was a huge shame as it was created with world renowned chocolatier Paul A Young; Salt Caramel, Madagascan chocolate, soft serve ice cream, Van Winkle bourbon and vanilla pods. Yes. Just yes! Not to worry though, because I will definitely be returning to this lovely restaurant again. They’ve got it right here, serving great quality ingredients and cooking them well. There’s not more you really need when it comes to a steak restaurant, and the price is so good you’d be foolish not to go give them a try. Despite the fact that my meal was free (we only paid £7 for 2 drinks and a tip), had we been paying the full bill it would only have come to £35! – I’m sure you’d agree that’s quite a bargain for steak and decent vegetables for two very hungry gals in need of some protein and vegetable goodness!